Award winning and best practice example

EC Green Paper on Mental Health

The European Commission (EC) adopted a Green Paper on Mental Health on 17 October 2005 designed to highlight the importance of mental well-being and develop a comprehensive EU strategy on mental health. The EC’s proposals for actions outlined in the Green Paper are part of the Commission’s follow-up to the WHO Ministerial Conference on Mental Health held in Helsinki in January 2005. The EAAD project is mentioned within the Green Paper as an example of a successful action to prevent suicide (see page 10).

EAAD first winner of the European Health Forum Award

On 5 October 2007, the EAAD was named the winner of the European Health Forum Award at the European Health Forum Gastein, Austria (EHFG). The congress was attended by over 600 participants, reinforcing its role as the most important health policy event in the European Union. About the award, EHFG President Günther Leiner said, “This new accolade will distinguish health policy initiatives in Europe that contribute to tackling key challenges faced by public health services.” The awarding procedure was quite competitive with almost 30 applications submitted and a shortlist of six finalists named. The winner was selected by a panel of public health experts of top health experts from across Europe. We are very honoured to having received such a prestigious award and continued the work of the EAAD with renewed enthusiasm from then on.

EAAD as best practice example at the EC - Conference in Budapest

At the EU thematic conference on Preventing Depression and Suicide the project EAAD was represented by Prof. Hegerl and Dr. Maria Kopp and also described as best practice example in the background documents of the conference.

EAAD in EC's video on mental health

On the occasion of the World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2008, the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Consumers published a video on the European Pact for Mental Health and Well-being Pact. In this video, examples of successful mental health initiatives such as the European Alliance Against Depression are introduced. The video also reports on the European Pact for Mental Health and Well-being, launched by Commissioner for Health, Ms Vassiliou, in June 2008 at an EU high-level conference.

EU-Compass for Action on Mental Health and Well-Being

The EU-Compass for Action on Mental Health and Wellbeing is a web-based mechanism used to collect, exchange and analyse information on policy and stakeholder activities in mental health. Both, the European Alliance Against Depression and iFightDepression were mentioned in the "Good Practices" brochure of 2017, which focuses on mental health at mental health at work, in schools and prevention of depression and suicide.

4-level-approach in WHO's report on suicide prevention

The WHO report on suicide prevention of 2014, "Preventing suicide: A global imperative", provides a global knowledge base on suicide and suicide attempts as well as actionable steps for countries in order to move forward in suicide prevention. In this brochure, EAAD's 4-level-approach is praised as a Best Practice approach in the context of suicide prevention.